Friend,
I wanted to personally share with you that J Street is updating our tagline -- which summarizes the core priorities and values of our movement.
Going forward, we’re going to officially make clear that J Street is a pro-Israel, pro-peace, and pro-democracy movement.
Of course, J Street’s commitment to upholding democratic institutions and values should come as no surprise.
That commitment has always been core to our identity as we work to help secure Israel’s future as a democratic homeland for the Jewish people and to ensure self-determination and freedom for Palestinians in an independent state of their own.
Yet as liberal democracy itself has come under intensive threat in Israel, here in the United States and around the world, we feel it’s critical for proudly pro-Israel groups to emphasize that commitment to defending democracy -- and to confront the extremists who continue to attack it.
Friends, our community needs a powerful voice that is unapologetically committed to Israel’s future, to Israeli-Palestinian peace, and to democratic rights and freedoms. Can you contribute $18, $54 or any other amount to J Street to make sure we can succeed in this mission?
We know that some other pro-Israel groups have decided to ignore the terrible threats to democracy in both the US and Israel. They’ve stayed silent as extreme settlement movement leaders take power in the new Israeli government, endangering the fundamental rights of both Israelis and Palestinians. They’ve excused, and even endorsed, MAGA Members of Congress who worked to overturn our own presidential results on January 6th, 2021 -- because those Members claim to be “pro-Israel.”
But we know that this stance does NOT represent most American Jews.
Polling commissioned by J Street has shown that a majority of Jewish Americans listed “the state of democracy” as their top voting issue in this year’s election.
It showed that the vast majority disapprove of unlimited settlement expansion, disapprove of Benjamin Netanyahu, and feel that Donald Trump and the MAGA movement pose a threat to American Jews. It showed that 72 percent disapproved of AIPAC’s endorsement of election deniers.
This majority cares deeply about the security and future of Israel, about the pursuit of peace, AND about the survival of democracy. And they know that each of these concerns is inextricably linked. That’s who J Street is fighting for and representing -- in Washington, on the campaign trail, and in communities across the country.
This is our unique purpose and mission: Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace, Pro-Democracy.
If you’re excited about this mission and what J Street is working towards, I hope you’ll take a minute to make a contribution of $18, $54 or any amount to fuel our work -- we truly rely on help from all our supporters to meet our fundraising goals.
Thank you,
Jeremy Ben-Ami, President
